Martial Arts Fusion Workout Popular in L.A.

Mind-body formats are branching out from pure yoga and Pilates workouts to embrace martial arts–workout programs that incorporate yoga and Pilates moves. At L.A.’s Jiva Yoga Studio, Cameron Shayne, yoga instructor and martial artist, has developed a training method he calls Budokon, which combines yoga and martial arts for an invigorating workout. (In Japanese, a budokan is a building where practitioners study the ways of the martial arts.) Gaiam Inc. is now offering this Martial arts workout, Budokon, along with two other workouts, in its new Eastern Practice Programs category of DVDs.

Shayne draws inspiration for his Martial arts workout program from his own background as a black belt in Olympic-style tae kwon do and Okinawan karate-do. He’s also a yoga teacher who cultivated his yogic perspective under Cyndi Lee of Om Yoga and with Ashtanga yoga teachers William and Patti Asad.

The other two programs in Gaiam’s Eastern Practices category are tai chi workouts led by David-Dorian Ross and Qigong (chi kung) exercises with Daisy and Francesco Garripoli. “We have had such great success with our yoga and Pilates programs [that] we knew it was time to take the next step,” said Lynn Powers, president of Gaiam. “[These] programs . . . seem like the next challenge for people who want to be healthy in body, mind and spirit. There’s an energetic component . . . that people are seeking now.”